Process of etching portraits on mirrors



Nov. 17, 1931. LOPEZ 1,832,716

PROGESS OF ETCHING PORTRAITS ON MIRRORS Filed Sept. 22, 1950 PeibrlopezINVENTOR ATTORNEV Patented Nov. 17, 1931 TES EMER. LOPEZ, OI' WEST TANA,FLOBIDA PBOCESS OF ETCEING POBTRAITS ON MIRBJORS Application filedSeptember 22, 1980. Serial Ho. 483318.

This invention relates to a process of preparing an etched imagerepresentation having a mirrored background' and by which process,portraits, scenes, emblems, and other image representations may bepresented to View at the refiected surface of a mirror so as to presentan attractive appearance and to give depth to the representation.

Another object of the invention is to evolve a process whereby the rearsurface of a mirror pane or in other words that surface of a glass panewhich is to be coated with a mirror surfacing. such as silver, may beetched to different de'pths, at different portions of its area, inconsonance with the depth of the tones of the image representation.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of a mirror pane produced by theprocess of the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the pane illustrating its condition inthe carrying out of one step of the process.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sectional Views representing, schematically,different steps in the process.

In the carrying out of the process, a pane of glass indicated by thenumeral 1, is to be treated and, for the purposes of the process,

there is first prepared an opaque multi-tone,

pattern 'of the image representation to be etched in the pane l, andthis pattern may be a photograph or an opaque oil painting. The pane ofglass 1 is first thoroughly cleansed and dried and is then disposed uponand covering the pattern, the assemblage being disposed on a perfectlylevel surface. To the upper face of the pane of glass there is applied alayer of a fluid medium resistant to a Chemical compound capable ofetching glass, which compound in the carrying out of the process of theinvention is hydrofluoric acid, this being applied however, only to thatportion of the face of the pane not covering the pattern and the nextstep in the process consists in applying to this face of the pane andover said layer of respondent material, a boundary beadng which ispreferably of a wax composition consisting of yellow wax, parowax, andVenice turpentine.

The next step in the process consists in pouring onto the said face ofthe pane, within the bounds of the image to be etched, dilute hydrouoricacid, whereby to effect an initial etching of that portion of the faceof the pane. This acid is permitted to remain for a minute and is thenremoved and eo the surface of the pane is rinsed with suficient water toremove all traces of the acid. There is then poured onto the surface, anacid composition consisting of hydrofluoric acid, sodium carbonate andwater, and this acid solution is permitted to remain in contact with thesurface of the ane for a period of thirty minutes, w eren on it isdrained from the pane and the su ace of the ane is rinsed with water andpermitted to 4 'lo The next step in the process consists in disposingthe pane treated by the preceding steps, over the pattern of the imagerepresentation and in registration therewith, over the darkest tone ofthe image representation are covered with a resistant consisting of amixture of bitumen judea and turpentine, and dilute hydro-fluoric acidis then poured over this surface of the pane and permitted to remain forseveral minutes whereupon the acid is drained from the pane, care beingtaken to avoid its contact with any other portion of the ane than thatreferred to, and the surface of the 8 pane is then rinsed with water,and when this surface is dried, the pane is again disposed over thepattern and the same resistant composition is applied over the portionsof the face of the pane which are above the pattern area next lighter intone than the portions first mentioned.

These steps are repeated for a number of times in the successivetreatment of different portions of the face of the pane which are overthe successively lighter tone portions of the area of the pattern,

In the drawings and particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 4 thereof, thelayer of resistant medium is indicated by the numeral 2 and mo by acomparison of Figures 3 and 4 it will be observed that, in the successvesteps of the process, the portions of the surface area of the pane of gass which are over the patterned area portions of lighter tone, areetched to a greater depth than the portions which are over the darkerarea portions of the pattern.

After the pane has been prepared in accordance with the rocess abovedescribed, a coating layer 3 o a mirror surfacing mixture or material isapplied to the etched face of the ane and is permitted to dry.

What I c aim is:

1. The process of preparing an etched image representation having amirrored background, which process comprises the steps of preparing anopaque multi-tone pattern of the image representation, disposing thepattern against one face of a fpane of glass, applying, to the otherface o the pane, a layer of a fluid medium resistant to a Chemical compound capable of etching glass, to cover that portion of the pane notcovered by the pattern, applyn a boundary heading to the last mentioneface of the pane, pouring onto the said face of the pane, within thebounds of the pattern, dilute hydrofluoric acid, whereby to eifectinitial etching of the face of the pane, removing the acid and washingthe etched surface with water, pourin onto the surface a mixture ofdilute hydro uoric acid and sodium carbonate and permitting the same toremain until the pane surface is further etched, removing the mixture,and pouring water onto the etched surface and permitting the same toremain for a period of approximately one half hour, disposing the etchedane over the pattern and applying to the ace of that portion of thepane, which is over the darkest tone portions of the area of thepattern, a layer of the said resistant medium, pouring dilutehydrofluoric acid onto the said face of the pane, and permitting theacid to remain a few minutes, and then repeatedly carryin out the fourlast described steps in the orer stated, and pursuing these steps, inthe successive treatment of different portions of the face of the paneover successively lighter tone portions of the area of the pattern.

2. The process of preparing an etched image representation having amrrored background, which process comprises the steps of preparing anopaque multi-tone pattern of the image representation, disposing thepattern against one face of a ane of glass, applying, to the other faceo the pane, a layer of a fluid medium resistant to a chemical com poundcapable of etching glass, to cover that portion of the pane not coveredby the pattern, appl 'ng a boundary heading to the last mentione face ofthe pane, pourin onto the said face of the pane within the ounds of thepattern, dilute hydrofluoric acid, whereby to efl'ect initial etching ofthe face of the pane, removing the acid and washing the etchedsurfacewith water, pouring onto the surface a mixture of dultehydrofluoric acid and sodium carbonate and permitting the same to remainuntil the pane surface is further etched, removing the mixture, andpouring water onto the etched surface and permitting the same to remainfor a eriod of approximately one half hour,dispos1ng the etched paneover the pattern and applying to the face of that portion of the pane,which is over the darkest tone portions of the area of the pattern, alayer of the said resistant medium, pouring dilute hydrofluoric acidonto the said face of the pane, and permitting the acid to remain a fewminutes, and then repeatedly carrying out the four last described stepsin the order stated, pursuing these steps, in the successive treatmentof different portions of the face of the pane over successively lightertone portions of the area of the pattern, and applying a mirrorsurfacing to the entire surface of the face of the pane which is etched.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PETER LOPEZ.

